In response to the email and private comments I've had on the previous blog entry.
If a woman is in an abusive, adulterous, or addiction laden relationship then she needs to protect herself and her kids, taking care of a screwed up man is not part of the picture.
If a woman chooses to work, that's fine too. I work and my DH stays home with the kids. He also cleans the house and cooks the meals with the exception of the weekends when I cook or the nights that the kids have assigned for their nights to cook. I do feel that kids should have at least one parent home with them. Whichever is best suited to the job should be the one at home. My DH is an educator, I'm an administrator.
Frankly, I'm getting tired of women who constantly complain about how horrible their marriages are and how horrible their men are. If you don't like it, LEAVE! If you aren't going to leave, then quit complaining to every one you meet.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go clean the beagle's ears. He's been tunneling in the snow and picked up all sorts of junk in them.
P.S. Thank you everyone who sent birthday wishes yesterday!
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
Charles Darwin, Naturalist
It’s interesting what women are willing to say about their husbands that they wouldn’t say about their best girlfriends. They have less concern about the feelings of the man that takes care of them than they do women they have only met online. What really frosts me is when women who have the luxury of staying home with their kids get upset because the man that goes out daily to slay dragons and provide them with everything asks that during the 9 hours that they are home without him they clean the house and that they have something for him to eat when he gets home. What the hell is wrong with that? I remember being in church and having one of the girls my age say, “Well I really hate cleaning the floors, would it be wrong to ask that my husband clean the floors when he gets home from work?” I remember one older lady who overheard that remark turning to her and saying, “I pity the man that marries you. Any woman worth her salt should be able to clean an entire house in 8 hours, even with children.” Considering that the speaker raised 14 children (and part of that as a widow), I consider her to be a qualified expert on the subject.
I also can’t believe how selfish some women are. It’s all about us and our wants; never about him and his needs. I can’t believe that a woman who moans and complains all the time about what her man does for her thinks that the man is lucky to have her. She should be grateful that he has taken on the burden of caring for her (and doubly so if she had kids from a prior marriage). Does she ever show him appreciation and approval? Does she thank him for working so that she is taken care of?
Another thing that gets me is when women expect men to converse with them like girlfriends. Men do not discuss relationships. It’s rule number 2 in the “How to be a man” handbook. They show us that they love us by taking care of the mortgage and the overdrafts. They don’t read minds. They freak out at the thought of our tears. They panic thinking it’s something that they’ve done.
Face, men are simple creatures. They’ll even admit to that. The easiest way to guarantee a happy home is to show a man that you appreciate what he does for you without demanding that he do more, accept him for who he is without trying to remake him – after all you picked him, and be grateful that you have him. If you take an attitude of gratitude instead of being a nagging cow, you’ll be amazed at the results. Just remember a puppy reacts better to praise than punishment, so do men.
I’ve been listening most of the morning to commentary on the decision of Clear Channel Broadcasting to fire one of its Florida personalities and to drop it’s contract with Howard Stern. At first I thought, “Great! They’re policing themselves.” Then people started talking about the days of the Hollywood censors. Were we really that bad off when Hollywood policed itself and didn’t show as much skin and violence? Now I’m not necessarily for industry enforced censorship and I’m definitely against censorship from government sources, but is it really that bad to ask yourself, should I really say or show that? Wouldn’t we have been better off if Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake had thought twice? Or at least applied a thought?
I keep thinking about the comments of the Chaos specialist in Jurassic Park. To paraphrase; “we get so excited that we Can do something that we never stop to think, Should we?” Should we demand that we have better entertainment choices? Should we expect our role models to behave in a moral manner? How do we demand ethical programs when so many people are willing to accept whatever pap is broadcast to them? Should we get upset because a business decides that they really don’t like the content of the Howard Stern show and refuse to renew his contract? Should we throw a tantrum when TV shows we like aren’t renewed? (That tactic got “Star Trek”, “Americas Most Wanted,” and “Touched by an Angel” renewed at least once!) Personally, I don’t know many people that would throw a fit at the canceling of Howard Stern’s show. Now, Art Bell, that’s another story…
While most people haven't heard of you, you're a really good and interesting person. Rather clever and witty, you crack a lot of jokes about the world around you. You do have a serious side, however, where your interest covers the homeless and the inequalities of society. You're good at bringing people together, but they keep asking you what your name means.
We would like to apologize for the inconvenience the previous entries have caused. As of tomorrow, the medicated haze should be withdrawn and our regularly scheduled blogging should return.
The Management
(Although the Beagle references may remain. :twisted: )
with apologies to my daughter who considers herself the Demi-Goddess of Random Quotes. But when your mother is the Goddess of Chaos who else would you be? _________________________ ______________________
How many times do you think I will have to mention Beagle in my blog before I get a google search dealing with beagles? _________________________ ______________________
Should I post the 213 Things Skippy is not allowed to do? _________________________ ______________________
My DH said that he was told that he was not allowed to carry a 5/8 wrench when he was on Navy or Army bases. _________________________ ______________________
Did I mention that my usual cure for a sinus infection is a good dose of wasabi (on my favorite sushi), followed by curry, and washed down with citrus beverages. This time, because of the stupid open sore in my throat, I'm banned from - peppers, citrus, vinegar, tomatoes, and no wasabi. No wonder the sinus infection is lasting. _________________________ _____________________
I did have Pho for lunch though. It was the first full meal I've eaten since Wednesday. And the first meal that my throat was not screaming in pain following completion. Maybe I should eat more Vietnamese? _________________________ _____________________
You would think with all this clear liquid only, I would have lost weight? Nope, up a pound. WG suggested I look at what I was eating. Fruit Juice and meat broth, the two things a body will store in time of famine - sugar and fat. _________________________ ______________________
I found Osuimono!!!!! I've been craving it since Thursday night. It's a Japanese broth usually served in Teppanaki places with a little green onion or mushroom in it and sometimes a piece of fish cake. I had two bowls for dinner tonight. _________________________ ______________________
The beagle has discovered how to crawl under the blankets to sleep with us.
Beagles make good bedwarmers if they would just stay in position. _________________________ ______________________
DH is working with cub scouts now. DS#2 started cubs last week. Just as DS#1 leaves for Boy Scouts. _________________________ _____________________
I must remember, it is not my job to solve other peoples problems, especially when I'm sick and can't talk. _________________________ ______________________
I'm very grateful that someone sent me the email "213 things Skippy is no longer allowed to do in the US Army" but the grape juice going out my nose when I laughed did not help clear my sinuses.
If you have viscous lidocaine residue in your mouth when you kiss someone their mouth will go numb too. _________________________ ______________________
Sleeping for 2 hour blocks during the night is not refreshing. _________________________ ______________________
If you send all the men in the house camping so you can have a peaceful night, you've sent all the people who can run and fetch for you away too. _________________________ ______________________ Sleeping in the shower is fine until the hot water runs out. _________________________ ______________________ Sleeping on the bathroom floor with a faux mink throw in front of the heater in order to breathe moist warm air is a comfortable place when you're sick. _________________________ ______________________
I really hate head colds. Especially when my throat gets so sore that I can't eat or drink. DH was wonderful though. He went out in a snow storm to get lime sherbet for me! Thank goodness for Chloraseptic or I wouldn't be up today at all. I think the fever broke (that's what the night sweats were all about). The sad part is I think the beagle is sick too. He hasn't touched his food bowl since yesterday morning. For a beagle that is very strange. If he hasn't eaten by this afternoon, he's going to the vet.
So, today was a holiday? I sure got a lot done for it being a holiday.
On the up side, I put in 40 minutes on the Ocean for my Noah's Ark and I have Neon Rays drying so that it will be ready to use tomorrow. Not that I have any stitching time on Tuesdays.
I did get 3 rows on Price of Freedom when I was working on it during piano lessons. I would have worked on my ornament but I decided that I need a needle with a bigger eye if I'm going to use the Japan thread. I've decided that I'll take spooled Krenik over Japan thread any day!
You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It's just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.
- Paulo Coelho, Writer
Now this is just what I was trying to say in that last blog. Maybe I should have read my email before blogging today?
Last week was pretty blah. The birthday part went better than I hoped. Work was there, I was there. But it felt like a rut. Not even the good things perked me up. I finished the 10 hour block on O Christmas Tree by MLI and got the picture taken. I have the Noah's Ark canvas back up on the stand and I'm excited to work on it again. I got a call from a good friend, another friend is staying with us while he's on leave from Afghanistan and it's great to see him. I had a great Valentine's with DH. But I just feel blah....
I didn't work out this week so that could be part of it. Then again, I was also focused on me this week and not on other people or on things to accomplish or on loftier thoughts. Let's face it, when I look and focus on myself, I end up feeling inadequate, fat, and frumpy. So this week, I plan to turn the focus back outward. See what I can do to help other people, those in my family and those I work with and those that I communicate with in other ways.
Maybe it's time to send out another anonymouse package.
So, I'm reading Dr. Laura Schlessinger's new book "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husband" and I get to page 38 and there is a quote and a paraphrase from the letter that my husband and I sent.
Maybe I should return the library's copy and buy my own and highlight that section?
For those that are interested... In our letter, we talked about how some of the wives will start making fun of the guys for talking guy talk (sports, military issues, stocks). But these same women would explode if the guys made fun of them talking about stitching, shopping or spa treatments. We had also given an example of one of DH's friends whose wife belongs to a bunch of women's only groups and expects him to watch the kids when she goes. She then totally freaks out if he wants her to watch the kids so he can go out with the guys to an action film. Dr. Laura credited us with the example but generalized it more to poker or fishing with the guys.
We had the birthday party today. We had 6 boys show up and they all had fun. They had to keep shushing the boys because someone else was having a wedding there this morning.
Today my youngest turned 8 years old. It seems like just last week I was bringing him home, a day later he was painting the car with a magic marker (white car, black paint marker), and the first year of school was only yesterday.
I'm just glad he had a great birthday today. (This was supposed to be posted on the 12th)
At Stitching Station tonight. I kept just to my list. They had 5 of the 7 freebies (I'm still missing the Dragon Fire and Black Swan ones). The didn't bring in any of the Kustom Krafts (but then they weren't at the show) or the new Paw Printings. I did get 12 Days of Christmas from Teresa Wentzler and two new Dragon Dreams - a signed Runekeeper Saga and Dragon's Tea party. And I picked up the new Just Nan - Beaded Rose.
I got a notice today for my 20th high school reunion. Funny thing is, it doesn't seem like it's been 20 years. Seems like only yesterday I was heading off to college, excited to be out on my own and away from home. Now I'm trying to help my daughter pick out universities with really good wildlife biology programs. My DH turns 40 this year and he's only a couple years older than I am so I must be getting older although I don't feel older. I guess my weight shows it though. Weight kind of creeps up on you. I still weigh less than I did in high school but then, after I left home, I lost 40 pounds. The last time I was my high school weight, I gave birth two weeks later (to my 8 pound 3 ounce runt). I weigh more now than I did with my first pregnancy but not more than I did with either of my boys so I guess I'm not doing too bad in the weight section. I definitely need to tone up. I can't bench press 1/2 of what I did in college but then, that could be another sign of getting older.
This is the party we're planning for DS#2. The one that I'm so worried no one will come too. We've already had one person call and say they won't be coming. No one has called to say they will be coming.
On the up side though DS#1 ran into a school friend at Home Depot and they figured out that we only live about a block or two apart. This is cool. Since my son would love to have someone from school that he could play with afterward.
worrying about what will happen if no one shows up this year. I mailed the invitations to my youngest son's birthday party last night. Last year, I invited 20 people and 2 showed up. The year before I sent out 30 invitations and NO ONE came. This year, I sent out 14 invitations because the place we're holding the party only allows 10 kids. I was up much of the night worried about what I'm going to do if no one shows up again this year.
Although the extent of solid food is Lo-Mein Noodles and Hamburger Helper. I'm sure if I give it a week I'll be back to Tandoori, Curry and Pad-Thai in no time. I think I'll be staying away from seafood for awhile though. The smell of shrimp is still making me nauseous.
But I did make it to the office today, 10 productive hours. Makes for a long day. I think I may hit the hot tub at the gym to relax and call it good.
By the way, the school didn't let DS#1 turn his laser on during the science fair while the other kids were there to see it. He did turn it on for the judges and they were impressed but not enough to let him show it to the kids. I believe the comment made was - Too dangerous, more of a middle school level prop, and no experiment involved. My advice was use it again next year but see if he can come up with an experiment to use it in.
